About us

We, at New Life Ayahuasca, are honored to be able to host Shaman Don Ron from Iquitos, Peru at our center from September 21 – October 7th for two 7 day retreats.

Our relationship with Don Ron began years ago after the first time we traveled to Iquitos. Since then, our bond with Ron has grown stronger as he provides the medicine for all our retreats and Matt continues to spend time and Ron’s camp, EL PURGUERO, for all his plant dietas. We are very excited to offer two retreats with Shaman Don Ron at NLA.

Each retreat includes 3 ayahuasca ceremonies, a private room with queen sized bed and en-suite bathroom, 3 yoga sessions, all meals, a trip to a local beach or waterfall and Kambo (optional for $100).

FACILITY AND ACCOMMODATIONS

Our beautiful facility located in the mountains of San Ramon, Costa Rica, is secluded on a lush 20 acre property about an hour from SJO airport. All guest receive a private room with queen bed and full attached bathroom equipped with hot water. Guests are invited to use our pool and hot tub anytime during their stay. Our property is filled with lush vegetation, fruit trees and trails perfect for nature walks. Our facility also offers a comfortable back patio with incredible views of the Nicoya Gulf on the Paclific coast of Costa Rica, perfect for watching the sunset.

THE SHAMAN

Don Ron Wheelock is widely known in Peru as The Gringo Shaman of the Amazon. He has been serving the ayahusaca community for over 20 years. Don Ron was born in Independence, Kansas. In 1996 he went to Peru looking for a spiritual teacher. Don Ron first drank ayahuasca in Tamshiyacu with famed shaman Don Agustin Rivas Vasquez. While with Don Agustin, he made arrangements to return to begin the intensive training to become a shamanic healer himself using the South American plant medicine, ayahuasca.

Don Ron stayed with Don Agustin for 5 months doing many plant diets. Don Ron then began working with Don Jose Coral Mori, the teacher of Pablo Amaringo and Eduardo Luna, the authors of “Ayahuasca Visions”. After studying with both ayahuasqueros (shamans who work exclusively with ayahuasca), he began working on his own in 2000.

Don Ron is an ayahuasquero/curandero. An ayahuasquero is someone who has trained under a maestro ayahuasquero and has the ability to prepare the ayahuasca brew, complete the icaros and prayers during the preparation, set up the ceremony space and conduct the ceremony.

As a curandero, Don Ron works with a large variety of plant and tree bark dietas. These dietas form a strong bond between the curandero and the plants dieted. Those plants become allies, and the plants teach the curandero how to work with them during the ceremony and in healing. A curandero can call on one of his plant/tree allies to protect the guest, to bring in the medicine, and help cure a guest.

Don Ron works with various energies and spirits. This skill of managing energies and spirits is particularly important in an ayahuasca ceremony as a person’s energies open up significantly in this space.

Like indigenous shamans have been doing for centuries, Don Ron prepares his ayahuasca by harvesting the vine Banisteriopsis caapi and then boiling it for several days. After continual praying over the mixture, Don Ron’s “tea” is ready to be used in a ceremony. Don Ron’s strong and pure medicine is used by other ayahuasca retreats in Peru.

Ayahuasquero Don Ron (62 years old) lives with his partner Karina Maria Diaz Paredes and conducts ayahuasca retreats at his compound, El Purguero. He has a 43 year old daughter, Christina, living in the U.S., and a 14-year-old son, Quetzalcoatl Luis Wheelock Angulo. Sebastian, 13, and John, 19, complete Don Ron’s family.

(INFO FROM EL PURGUERO)

THERAPIES - YOGA - KAMBO

New Life Ayahuasca offers additional therapies to promote maximum healing during your retreat with us. We believe in combining plant medicines with holistic therapies to achieve a healthy balance of energies and to support tranquility, peace, and growth. Therapies we offer include Kambo, massage and yoga sessions with our certified teacher. Our goal is to integrate each of these additional therapies into our ayahuasca retreats, with the hope that they will help each individual prepare physically and mentally for the ayahuasca experience .

Kambo, also called Sapo, is a natural non-psychedelic medicine made from the secretions of the Giant Monkey Tree Frog from the Amazon and is used to treat a variety of ailments. Optional Kambo sessions are available at our center as an add-on therapy for $50. It is a great additional cleansing process during an ayahuasca retreat. The connection between Kambo and Ayahuasca is special – being that the spirit of ayahuasca is what, according to legend, brought about the knowledge of Kambo use and its incredible benefits.

It's very difficult to describe what an amazing experience this was. Matt and Jeanae make you feel right at home upon arrival to their beautiful property. The rooms are amazing and very comfortable, and the view from the back porch every morning is breathtaking. Overall just a very positive energy surrounds this place and I instantly fell in love with it.. The ceremonies are unbelievably astonishing. Matt guides you through this intense experience with absolutely amazing Icaros, Gong, Drum, and Guitar. He becomes one with this medicine during ceremony, and it left me speechless. You can tell he puts 100% of his energy and passion into this, and I hold the upmost respect for him. Jeanae also plays the most beautiful sounding flute I've ever heard, and her presence during the ceremony is very soothing. Matt and Jeanae are very genuine and sincere people and I'm very grateful for what they have done for me. I cannot wait to go back!...Oh and Chopper is the coolest cat you will ever meet!
Sean

Event Highlights

Airport Pick- up (11am-1pm)

3 Ayahuasca Ceremonies led by world-renown shaman Ron Wheelock known in Peru as 'The Gringo Shaman of the Amazon'

3 Yoga Sessions

1 Complimentary Massage

Private Room with en-suite Bath

Nutritional vegan meals (chicken served on side)

Unlimited use of pool/hot tub

Off-site Activity (Beach or Waterfall)

Venue Highlights

We provide complimentary pick-up from SJO airport on the start day of the retreat between 11am and 1pm. Our center sits secluded on a lush 20 acre property in the mountains of San Ramon, Costa Rica. We have beautiful panoramic views of the Nicoya Gulf. Guests have unrestricted access to our large indoor pool and hot tub as well as hiking trails surrounding the property.

Menu Types

Vegan

Vegetarian

Includes Meat

Menu/Cuisine

FULL BREAKFAST - local fruits, bread, organic jam, eggs, oatmeal
FULL LUNCH (non-ceremony days) - A balanced vegan meal with protein(veggie or chicken on side) and local vegetables.
SOUP LUNCH (ceremony days) - 2 soup options, one veggie and one chicken
FULL DINNER (non-ceremony days) - A balanced vegan meal with protein(veggie or chicken on side) and local vegetables.

About the
Venue and Teachers

NEW LIFE AYAHUASCAAyahuasca RetreatsNew Life Ayahuasca offers 5 and 7 day ayahuasca retreats. Our mission is to provide compassionate retreat program options to others who are seeking to restore balance to their lives through spiritual and personal healing. Our retreat includes ayahuasca ceremonies, Kambo(optional), yoga, a massage and a trip to the beach or waterfall. Spacing is limited for ayahuasca retreats to 8 participants per week to be sure we can provide individualized attention and support during such a personal and profound experience.Ceremonies and GuideWe conduct intimate ceremonies (maximum of 8 participants) that are performed with respect to the traditions that have surround the use of the sacred medicine ayahuasca for centuries. Matt, our founder and director, is the ayahuasquero for all our ceremonies. Matt’s intentions and passion in his work are unparalleled. There is no question of his integrity and his sincerity in his mission to help others. His presence during ceremony is strong and grounding. Matt sings Icaros, plays the Gong, Tibetan Singing bowl, guitar and drum to help guide the participants’ experience. Jeanae also contributes by playing the native american flute. Facility and GroundsOur beautiful facility located in the mountains of San Ramon, Costa Rica, is secluded on a lush 20 acre property about an hour from SJO airport. All guest receive a private room and full bathroom equipped with hot water. Guests are invited to use our pool, hot tub and gym anytime during their stay. Our property is filled with lush vegetation, fruit trees and trails perfect for nature walks. Our facilityalso offers a comfortable back patio with incredible views of the Nicoya Gulf on the Paclific coast of Costa Rica, perfect for watching the sunset.TherapiesNew Life Ayahuasca offers additional therapies to promote maximum healing during your retreat with us. We believe in combining plant medicines with holistic therapies to achieve a healthy balance of energies and to support tranquility, peace, and growth. Therapies we offer include Kambo, massage, yoga and sound therapy. Our goal is to integrate each of these additional therapies into our ayahuasca retreats, with the hope that they will help each individual prepare physically and mentally for the ayahuasca experience .KamboKambo, also called Sapo or ‘frog poison’, is a natural non-psychedelic medicine made from the secretions of the Giant Monkey Tree Frog from the Amazon and is used to treat a variety of ailments. Optional Kambo sessions are available at our center as an add on therapy for $50 It is a great additional cleansing process during an ayahuasca retreat. The connection between Kambo and Ayahuasca is special – being that the spirit of ayahuasca is what, according to legend, brought about the knowledge of Kambo use and its incredible benefits.TravelCosta Rica is the perfect destination for a healing retreat. Not only is Costa Rica the safest country in Central America, but it is said to be home to the happiest people in the world, with the country motto “Pura Vida” which translates to ‘Pure Life’. Flights are only appx. $500 round trip from the US, and we provide complimentary pick-up at SJO airport, making the transition to our facility stress-free. Our location in the mountains also provides comfortable conditions with temperatures averaging around 75-80 during the day and 65-70 at night.

A shaman is a person who, in tribal cultures, communicates with the spirit world. As intermediaries, shamans ask spirits to intercede in the lives of humans, healing them of illnesses, or granting favors. Since traditional cultures believe that spirits play important roles in peoples lives, the shaman must learn how to cooperate with the spirits for the benefit of his or her community
Ron Wheelock, 53, was born in Independence , Kansas . In 1996 he went to Peru looking for a spiritual teacher. Ron first drank ayahuasca in Tamshiyacu with famed shaman Don Agustin Rivas Vasquez. While with Don Agustin, he made arrangements to return to begin the intensive training to become a shamanic healer himself using the South American plant medicine, ayahuasca.
Ron stayed with Don Agustin for 5 months doing many plant diets. Ron then began working with Don Jose Coral Mori, the teacher of Pablo Amaringo and Eduardo Luna, the authors of Ayahuasca Visions. After studying with both ayahuasqueros (a shaman who works exclusively with ayahuasca), he began working on his own.
Iquitos is the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest and is known as the ayahuasca capital of the world. Ayahuasca tourism is now a vital part of the Iquitos economy with Westerners seeking traditional shamanic experiences and healings using the visionary Amazonian medicine. Besides bringing spiritual tourism to Iquitos , ayahuasca is being used in three new religions in Brazil . It has been credited with curing thousands of alcoholics and drug addicts, and is being studied by pharmacologists around the world.
Like indigenous shamans have been doing for centuries, Ron prepares his ayahuasca by harvesting the vine Banisteriopsis caapi and then boiling it with other plants and herbs for several days. After continuous praying over the mixture, Rons tea is ready to be used in a ceremony. Ayahuasca is said to give users the power to travel beyond their bodies, to see the future, and hunt and confront the demons that cause physical and emotional illnesses.
Ron lives with his girlfriend Karina Maria Diaz Paredes and conducts ayahuasca ceremonies during the workshops. He has a 34 year old daughter, Christina, living in the U.S. , and a 5 year old son, Quetzalcoatal Luis Wheelock Angulo.

Matthew Mormello, our founder and director, got involved with plant medicine in 2010. He is the ayahuasquero for all ayahuasca ceremonies. He and his wife Jeanae co-facilitate the iboga retreats and ceremonies.Ever since Matt was introduced to ayahuasca through an episode on National Geographic, he was immediately drawn to the sacred medicine. He told himself, “This is it, this is what i have to do.” But first, his path led him to the world of ibogaine, which he was treated with in 2011 on HBO’s VICE TV. After his treatment, he stayed involved by learning the spiritual aspects of Bwiti, which uses iboga as a sacrament, and participated in ceremonies until 2013, when he came to Costa Rica and began working more intimately with iboga at a treatment facility.At the same time he arrived in Costa Rica, Matt started getting involved with ayahuasca. Over the following 2 years, he participated in many ceremonies, traveled to Peru, eagerly consuming any information he could find or be taught about the sacred medicine ayahuasca. Now he has participated in hundreds of ceremonies and has evolved in his own rite as a ceremonial facilitator. His presence during ceremony is strong and grounding, and his Icaros help guide the participants’ experience.Matt would never call himself a Shaman, he feels that this word is often overused by people who are undeserving of its title, instead he considers himself an ayahuasquero, or someone who works with ayahuasca. Matt’s intentions and passion in his work are unparalleled. When researching ayahuasca, there are many warnings about false ayahuasca shamans and scams. While Matt may not be a Shaman (yet) there is no question of his integrity and his sincerity in his mission to help others.Matt performs rituals for protection and cleansing prior to ayahuasca consumption and continues to sing Icaros and play various instruments throughout the ceremony. New Life Ayahuasca limits spacing for ayahuasca retreats to 9 so that Matt is able to give each person the individualized attention they deserve during such a profound experience.In 2017 Matt and Jeanae traveled to Gabon, Africa where he was initiated into the Bwiti tradition that uses iboga and he and Jeanae were later married in a Bwiti ceremony. They plan to return in summer 2019 to continue learning about the traditional use of iboga. Read more about Matt’s story…

Jeanae co-founded New Life Ayahuasca with her partner Matthew Mormello. Jeanae first got involved with plant medicine after being treated with ibogaine for heroin addiction. Since then she has rededicated herself to a healthier lifestyle. She now manages the website and is the primary contact with guests during the booking process. She is a yoga teacher, administers Kambo and is always present during the Ayahuasca ceremonies to offer support through out the experience.

$2000

Thank you!

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